A Runner's High

Oct 24, 2016 12:01PM
● Published by Caitlyn Leary

Being raised by a family who is full of hardworking and dedicated individuals has taught me a lot over the years. It has taught me to be the same hardworking and dedicated individual as everyone else in my family, but it has also caused me to grow up quicker than most. Like anyone, I have a family who has their issues. Needless to say, my childhood wasn't perfect, but it has shaped the young woman that I am today.

I grew up in an environment with a lot of arguments going on. It didn't matter what day, what holiday it was, or how late it was, there was usually some type of heated debate going on. When you hear a lot of arguing, you usually want to escape it. That's when I turned my attention to working hard and training to my absolute potential to become a better and faster runner. Running helped me escape my worries and realities. That one hour when I was running meant I could just zone out and forget all of the troubles I would eventually face later.

Running has helped me in hundreds of different ways. It has created friends for me, it has helped me get through the most stressful times of my life, and it has instilled dedication and endurance in me. I would not have made it through high school, never mind furthering my education in college without running.

I know running isn't for everyone, but if you are going through something tough and you can't think of any other way to release some steam, just try it. Even if it is for only five minutes the first day, you will build up your endurance eventually and that five minutes will become thirty minutes of completely stress-free YOU time. Running is what helped me get through the most difficult times, and I know it will help so many others if you just give it a chance.